It is known that cord blood contains large numbers of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. For this reason, the use of cord blood for therapeutic purposes is indicated, e.g., in the reconstitution of damaged or diseased bone marrow.
The volume of a collected cord blood unit is typically reduced by centrifugation prior to storage and transfusion. Centrifugation separates unneeded mature red blood cells and an equivalent volume of plasma, thereby obtaining a concentration volume of white blood cells, in which the desired stem cells and progenitor cells are found. This concentration of cells is mixed with a suitable cryopreservative solution, e.g., Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) diluted in a salt solution, for storage at liquid nitrogen temperatures (i.e., -196.degree. C.).
In the past, the processing of cord blood to obtain a therapeutic concentrated of white blood cells suited for storage, has entailed exposing the cord blood and the concentration of desired cells to the atmosphere, usually several times during the course of the procedure. This exposure carries with it the risk of bacterial contamination of the concentrated cell product.
There is a need for systems and methods which allow the processing of cord blood in a sterile "closed" fashion, without significant exposure to the atmosphere.
There is also a need for systems and methods which allow the handling in a sterile closed fashion of cryopreservative solutions at relatively high concentrations, to thereby reduce the overall liquid volume of the processed cord blood.